Castles

[John Busby]

Hi Guys

Has any one built a small castle for their railway.

If so what did you use ( I am thinking blue foam should work ) and where did you get the plan to base the model on.

Emphasis on small as castles even a small one are quite large or would I perhaps be better thinking of a border watch tower instead of a castle 

When the A frame cottage is finished it seemed a good idea to try a castle next then perhaps a tavern to form a tourist trap for the layout

regards John

[altterrain]

John,

Kevin's dad, Jim Strong, has a great one. I believe its blue insulation board with a vinyl concrete patcher "stucco". Hopefully Kevin can chime in with details.

 -Brian 

 

[John Busby]

Hi altterain

WOW!!! That is some castle, starts Camelot. or should that be the theme from Snow White.

Looks real good in its setting as well.

Looks like blue foam is the way to go if that's what its made of I hope Kevin can shed some light on the construction method

I don't think mine will be quite that grand but hope I can do just as  impressive job of it.

regards John

[CPT Stryker]

Here is an excellent site for acquiring molds for making parts for castles and any other structures you can imagine.

http://www.hirstarts.com/

Captain Stryker

[vsmith]

 

Camalot!

    Camalot!

         Camalot!

 

Its only a model.....

Shhhhhh !!!

 

 

[CPT Stryker]

We've already got one you silly english kinnnnn-iggitts !

 

Captain Stryker

[Great Western]

Greetings Cap'n,

       As an Englishman when I saw the word "castles" mentioned in a railway context I immediately thought of those wonderful locomotives built by our Great Western Railway.

   If anyone has room maybe they would like to model the castle at Harlech where the railroad penetrates the castle walls!

 

 

[kstrong]

Dad's castle was built from two different types of styrofoam; the beaded stuff and the coarse stuff sold in craft stores. (We built this in the early 80s, before the blue/pink stuff was popular.) It was originally built as part of a Christmas display, so the original coatings weren't chosen necessarily for longevity. I want to say it was plaster, because I recall it flaking and peeling off. After dad decided that the castle needed to be installed permanently on the railroad, it underwent somewhat of a renovation, with what was left of the original coating being peeled off, and recoated with--I believe--liquid nails or some latex-based mastic. That was then repainted with latex paint, and the castle installed on the railroad. I don't think the castle's had any major maintenance on it since then (20 or so years), and it's held up very well.

Nowdays, dad uses bluefoam and vinyl patching concrete for his buildings, which can be seen in the background of the photo Brian posted, and seen here:



He still uses liquid nails to coat some of the surfaces like the "wood" timbers which are just cut from the bluefoam.

The castle itself is a model of Cinderella's castle at Disneyworld. He had "plans" of sorts, which if I remember were actually drawings one could use to bake a cake shaped like the castle!

Later,

K

[FJ and G]

he's a great artist! (my only concern would be chipping)

[Anonymous]

Also check this link, very good info on foam!

http://users.stratuswave.net/~wd8jik/foamcutter/foamcutter.htm

 

[altterrain]

Yes, Yogi is a great guy! I have had the privilege of meeting him twice at ECLSTS where he does in person demonstrations on his many techniques. He inspired my purchase of a Tippi foam cutter which I have used for many projects including an all pink insulation board station I whipped together for my nephew's LGB set.

 -Brian

 

 

[John Busby]

Hi William

Thanks for foam link.

I see you have now imported a Queensland banana from Aus

regards John

[John Busby]

Hi allterrain

That's a neat little station based on anything or just a work of imagination.

For the nephew I think you better make a second one for your railway

What did you use for the base??

regards John

[altterrain]

Hi allterrain

That's a neat little station based on anything or just a work of imagination.

For the nephew I think you better make a second one for your railway

What did you use for the base??

regards John

Thanks John. The little station is just a work of imagination. The base is Hardibacker, cement tile backer board. I give it a couple of coats of paint and use it for bases, roofs and sometimes entire buildings.

 -Brian

These two have bases and roofs of Hardibacker (structure is treated lumber)

 

 

This factory is all Hardibacker

 

 

 

[John Busby]

Hi guys

I have found a castle that suits my needs but have run into a small hick up.

It is a war games size suitable for 15mm figures for the uninitiated that's 15mm from the sole of the boots to eye level.

Daft though this sounds I am not quite sure how many times to multiply its size to get it up to a suitable size to match the A frame cottage at about 16mm scale give or take a little bit

Its a fairly simple one consisting of a keep with like a small tower extension that forms the gate house attached to one corner there are no curtain walls or anything like that to worry about

So relatively speaking it will be quite small but does have a couple of challenging bits to make me think.

It will still have quite a foot print, I have to admit the silly thought of having a knight or the king surveying his domain has crossed my mind

regards John

[John Busby]

Hi altterain

Now they are nice buildings lot better than my efforts so far.

They are going on the work area wall to remind me to take my time and get better results.

Am I right in thinking the freight house has a sand paper or similar roof sheeting applied.

regards John

[Anonymous]

Me rather have a Queen LMAO........

Ok, a cute Queen.....but ya'll all know I am a sick G Gauge type of guy

Ole Chap, How is that ATSF engine coming along by the way?

[John Busby]

Hi William

ATSF works a treat now just waiting for coupling for front unfortunately the friend sending the coupling has had to go to Melbourne for two weeks.

I think I have just about worked out how to empty the memory card on the camera its complete enough for a photo.

I was surprised the difference just  getting the cab step on made.

Back on topic

That's a different thought will have to check the Schleich catalogue and see if they do the Queen and have a think about that, it would be a slightly different twist on things 

They do the King, knights I am pretty sure they do a Wizard who I think looks a bit like Disney's Merlin may be they do other members of the court.

regards John

[Anonymous]

John,

Oh man, forgot about the court jester!!!!!

[altterrain]

Hi altterain

Now they are nice buildings lot better than my efforts so far.

They are going on the work area wall to remind me to take my time and get better results.

Am I right in thinking the freight house has a sand paper or similar roof sheeting applied.

regards John

John,

Thanks John. I have tried sandpaper before and did not like the results. I now use tread / anti skid tape made for outdoors stairs. It sticks to most materials quite well (except to itself so it will curl up on the edge). This a kit building with it (the building is on a pink foam board base) -

 

 

 -Brian 

[vsmith]

 

"Its good to be King"

[John Busby]

Hi guys

Well I have some dimensions worked out now.

The main tower part is 18 inches square and 36 inches high not including battlements.

The gate house tower is 7 inches square and 28 inches high not including battlements.

The gate 3 inches wide and 61/2 inches high.

Still working on the battlements as they are cantilevered (if that's the right word) off the walls with drop holes.

I don't want to get into doing full stone work and wonder will I get away with just the corner stones and window stones like the war gamers do.

Its going to need a big bit of something for the base to stop it blowing away as its larger than I thought even though its a small Castle.

regards John

[John Busby]

Hi guys

I have the carcase for the main part of what is temporarily known as Westinghouse castle (its made from fridge packing I had on hand)together. it measures in real measurements 18" square and 3' high.

It's going to look impressive when finished even if detail is limited to the bare necessities

It strikes me that the tower corners are going to be particularly vulnerable to easy damage.

Detailing is going to be be limited to the least I can get way with or it will take a lifetime to finish, but it would seem corner stones to protect the corners are a must.

Any one got any ideas what to use for the corner stones that can resist the odd accidental knock

Back to the A frame tomorrow to do a bit more on it

regards John

[Anonymous]

We on the CFR have a Castle that we use as a frontier customs post.

We used three sets of Schleich castles. They are made of a very heavy duty plastic.

[John Busby]

Hi casey jones snr

Any idea what the foot print size of one Schleich castle would be??

Thats a quick way of getting a castle.

regards John

[ttrigg]

- Scale 1:20
- True to life modeling
- Meticulously hand painted
- Size: 33.9"L x 17.7"W x 16.5"H

As stated on their web site:

 http://www.kitestailstoys.com/product.php?productid=17939&cat=750&page=1

 

They also sell individual pieces, towers, walls,etc.  And they claim 1:20